This invention relates to nitrate esters and more particularly to methods of co-nitrating polyols to produce nitrate ester mixtures.
Mixtures of 1,2,4-butanetriol trinitrate and nitroglycerin are useful as energetic components in explosives and gun propellants. Normally, 1,2,4-butanetriol and glycerin are nitrated separately to form 1,2,4-butanetriol trinitrate and nitroglycerin which are then blended together in the desired proportions. This requires that one of the nitrate esters be stored while the other is being made. This storage is undesirable because either nitroglycerin or 1,2,4-butanetriol trinitrate is more sensitive to impact than a blended mixture of the two. Moreover, fume-offs frequently occur during the nitration of 1,2,4-butanetriol alone. It would be desirable to provide a method of reducing or eliminating these problems.